Old Man from the Hills

Aid to people who hate the US, Congressional "bennies" and pay/ programs that make no sence to continue/entitlement programs that have grown totally out of control/"Pork" added to almost any bill's passed thru our Congress/ waste/abuse of current funding/ on and on and on!!! Do you mean to tell me with a straight face "Our Leaders Just Don't Know Where To Start" I'm just an ols hillbilly; I can see hundreds of places to cut bloated goverment spending and not "damage the poor" ( which you notice is most of us now!!)

dale jordan

XCG/FIZIXTCHR

The only way to deal with the defecit / national debt is across the board cuts to all programs, including payrolls and, especially, entitlements plus increased fees and taxes. None of which will happen because every one wants to reduce the defecit and pay off the debt as long as it's with someone elses dime... the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) syndrome. Congress, even those who want to reduce spending don't dare try anything serious because their constituents would skin them alive when they got home. To get a more realistic grasp of the problem I suggest 2 books, "WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?", S Bittle & J Johnson, and "COMMON CENTS" T Penny and M Garrett.

PaulM

ANGRY VET

They should take a pay cut instead of giving themselves raises everytime it looks like there is money coming from somewhere and they should cut the foreign aid as well. We are struggling in this country to get out of deficit but yet keep spending millions on other countries to rebuild, feed, medicate, etc...... STOP

greatestmem

I agree 100%. If it weren't for my VA disability, I'd be on the streets; yet they want to cut military retiree pay - don't try to tell me our disability compensation wouldn't be next! When we took our "job" as soldiers, sailors, etc., it was with the promise of full retirement pay if we spent 20 or more years with honorable service, or compensation if injured or wounded while in service. Now they want to take it all away with such statements as "show me where you were promised that"...I guess it just goes to prove that the word of a government representative (and that is exactly what a recruiter is) is not word a cent!
Congressmen and women - cut your own salaries, decrease the annual retirement salaries you receive and require at least 20 years continued service to your country before you can collect said benefits. Be required to pay into Social Security and if you want government retirement monies, you should have to pay into that program as well. Pay for your medical care at the same rates as our families who have to have Obamacare are required to pay. I could go on, but you get the point.

Idahojoecl

I totally agree with you. They should not be looking around to see where they can cut everybody else before taking a good look at themselves first. I know in Idaho they are all worth at least a million bucks on paper. They just keep getting richer and richer and we keep getting poorer.

larry w jackson

Navy Bill

I agree as well. In addition, why are we giving money to countries that turn around and shoot it back at us with bullets, IED's and terror attacks around the world. I Think we should stop buying any oil from the mid east and continue to build jobs and the economy here.
But first, cut congressional salaries, turn the legislature into part time, as they should be spending more time with their constituents (on their own dime). Next cut their staff's. Next, cut their retirement, they should be included in Social Security. Maybe, just maybe they would then put a lockbox on that money and use it for what it is supposed to be used for. And during their time in office they should not be allowed to get speech monies or any of those kinds of perks. They are to be OUR servants. We are not to be their SERFS.

John Mark

RON PROFFITT

USMC NAM VET Sgt.
Cut all aid and benefits to illegals in this country, if the states don't comply cut all government aid to those states, that's BILLIONS.
All so cut all aid to the United Nations, Egypt, Etc.
All this ads to "BILLIONS OF DOLLARS"

FlatbushOkie

I agree, we as a nation, spend more on illegal aliens, than any other country in the world. We welcome them with open arms, while their home country would, in most cases, incarcerate any illegals. We send too much money to countries that hate our guts. Cut the foreign aide, cut the pay to illegals. Require work from those on the dole. No more welfare state...

USMCHoney

This is a right good start! If you aren't an American you don't get diddly! Next step, stop giving "aid" to those countries that hate us! After that, recall all debt from countries we bailed out in WWII! Then start using OUR natural resources instead of "buying" from the Middle East! So much that they can't "see"! HAHAHAHAH the kickbacks are going into their pockets and we're getting shafted!

Richard Cooper

Perry McClendon

Term limits can start this November if we will just get it done. Too many of us sit on the porch and gripe but seldom take time to evaluate the folks we vote for (if we take time to vote at all). The ballot box should be our battle stations this year .

gary corwin

USMCHoney

Unfortunately, what are you going to replace them with? Even if they start out with the best of intentions, after the first little while most become as corrupt as the last bunch! There are very few exceptions to this!

gary corwin

The David Lanton

Wall Street and the general 1% of the wealthy population have gotten up to 85 Billion per month. No, it did not trickle down.

The Poor are at about 28 Million on Welfare. About 20 Million are (professional poor). The Lady receives $65,000. Gov. support, and then her (Baby Daddy) comes home to the HUD house at night, and some are making $50,000 of their own money. Together they have over $100,000 income and driving high-end cars. All on the Welfare package.

Way to many Wars. Far to much Foreign Aid.

The magical accounting of the Defense Contractors, building our new plans, tanks, and other. Cut that in half.

Reduce the number of Bosses in the system, about half.

Reduce the size of Government, about half.

Regulation reduction.

Abolish Obama Care.

Stop all free Governmental Grants for housing, and any thing under the sun. Only people that have served their country, and or have some contractual relationship to the Government should get something. Make people earn what they get. Stop the (Entitlement Language).

End most Food Stamp programs. Open the Child Homes for hungry children. Go back to what did prove to work.

John Junkins

Cut the foreign assistance to the bare bone. Why does American still send millions of dollars to countries who think we are stupid for sending them free money. They consider us weak for giving them money to use against America. Not one dime should be cut from our Military warriors. When Congress needs our warriors, they call on them to go do battle, and when there is not a conflict, they put them at the end of the benefit line. Another cut should be made to the benefits of congress members. They are a bunch of do-nothing welfare recipents. We need to vote out every congress member. I hope some of our combat warriors run for office.

USMCHoney

When this country was established it was an honour to serve in its government. There was no "retirement", private health care, etc. You did your service and then returned to private life. There were few "lifers" in Congress. To end the "salary for life" for congress members and the president and everyone else that gets this perk would save this country millions! Lets get back to the "good old days" of it being an honour to be able to serve, but when you are done, go the H#ll home! This is nothing but welfare for the rich! Get off the dole!

Gene Ressegiue

I agree with you 100%, BUT (always the but)those idiots in congress make the rules. Does anyone in their right mind believe that they will do anything what-so-ever that will hurt the Washington royalty. They opted themselves out of Obamacare, they opted their staffs out of Obamacare, they again did not vote for their 17000.00 dollar raise.
From the oval office on down to the staffers, they put us in this situation make them pay for it. Every last penny, take there complete salary, if they have been in office long enough to receive a federal retirement, take it, every last penny. Make them all pay for health the health insurance they have forced down the throats of everyone. If they want a socialist state, spread THEIR money around to everyone else.
Oh and by the way the few combat warriors in the Senate voted yes to take the money from us. How's that for loyalty and the brotherhood. The make believe Republican that ran for VP last go around initiated this cut.
God Bless the Old United States.

Bill Toohey

Charity begins at home! It seems that the Government believes that buying friends is more important than keeping their bond with those who willing offered their lives to defend America. Stop sending money to people who hate the very fact that we exist!

joelie10

I agree with "Old Man from the Hills". Our corrupt, no nothing president and both houses of congress are useless and should be fired. Cuts should be made to the "social payola" given to those who do not want to work, illegal aliens or undocumented workers, and those not seeking work. That includes those cell phones they are giving out that are NOT a necessity. The bogus claim that a person is "insensitive or mean" if you want to cut down on "freebies" to people who are perfectly healthy but not willing to work, is SO patently WRONG. This country is choking on undisciplined people who want everything for nothing and then badmouth the people who work to pay the taxes for their welfare. Those "liberal geniuses" who are dumbing down our youth and creating slothful, dependent people should be "recycled" into oblivion. Did I forget anything?

Enough Already

Litlejoe

How about rounding up All Illegals, including Obama's relatives, and send them back to their country of origin? Cut all foreign aid. Why should the taxpeyers borrow $1.2T from China and give provide them over $200M inaid to study prostitution in China? Send all foreign students attending our schools back home. Little wonder China and other foreign countries hack our Government and industry networks, we train them at tax payer expense. This country is destined to fall unless we revert back to our founding principles, and remove all of the bleeding heart liberal.

Howard in Pa

Great idea, I don't think that we need to waste time and money rounding up and deporting illegals though. If you cut the freebies they would just walk home. Employers that hire them cheap should face lots of penalties.

Thomas Herriman

The Congress should feel free to eliminate all endowments for the Arts, Abortions, and abortion centers; stop sending planes to Egypt along with all military vehicles and equipment. This would be a start. As to Social Security, it has been raided for almost everything that has come down the pike. Hands off. Medicare is already rejecting about 50% of all bills as being over and above usual and costumary costs. Leaving the elderly to pay these costs out of their own pockets.

Dennis Johnson

Martin Wade

In the short term, all benefits to illegal aliens should be cut off completely.
In the long term, there should be a complete inventory of government programs and all over-lapping programs should be consolidated into one department or agency with a corresponding reduction of manpower, facilities and expenditures. This inventory would also return to the states programs that are better handled at the local level.

john M

R. Skillen

Make cuts from the Pentagon's budget that has financed an unnecessary aircraft carrier that may not even work. I will bet that the contractors made plenty on this and other military financial debacles.

Donald M

The House should start with themselves. No pay until a budget is passed. Then put all House members and staff on the affordable care act and social security just like all Americans. No special privileges for them or any other federal employees. Make cuts in foreign aid. This is a huge waste of federal spending. What is more important taking care of Americans or foreign aid?

William D. Van Syckle

Need to stop ALL foreign aid, cut IRS, EPA, an other needless agencies. Cut back on General officers retired pay, reduce congress to two terms and do away with their retired pay. Reduce congress pay to a working mans pay between $50-75k per year. No more. These type of cuts would help reduce the overall spending that is taking place in our government.

T. Bruns, VN vet

Congress (Republicans) are only concerned about their own wallets. Their motto -
Cut everything for the poor and give it to the rich. Before cutting anything, they should cut their own entitlements. No more "Pensions". No more Oil subsidies, no more tax loop-holes. No more saying NO to the middle class.

nls

don't lay all this on one party. Give me a break man! It does not matter what party is in power they are all parasites, huge black and grey ones, forget about red and blue! There will be a day when the powers that be won't be anymore. Till then the vote is all we have to fight with. STOP VOTING YOUR OWN STATES WALLET AND VOTE FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR THE UNITED STATES!!

Anonymous

Chris Hamilton

Cut all Federal employees pensions and their salaries by a small percentage. Cut the salaries AND the pensions of all politicians by a percentage as well as eliminate their automatic annual pay increase. Cut off foreign aid to all those countries who hate us, why should we be funding their hatred? If they use the excuse of "it's in their contract so we can't cut federal employees salaries nor pensions" THEN, a promise made to the Veterans is also a contractual agreement and they should be held to that agreement, verbal or otherwise.

John Rovendro

Wouldn't it be a novel idea if the government stopped sending so much foreign aid overseas to countries that really don't like us! Why not take that foreign aid and use it to invest in America. And I still don't understand the hand outs that are being given to illegal immigrants (okay, the PC term for them is undocumented workers, but they're still here illegally). What are the grounds for their sense of entitlement? Where did they get a say in what our government does? And if they're not registered, how the hell are they influencing the elections to the point that they have a say??? If they want to be in this country, then they can go out the same way they came in and then come back when they are ready to enter through the front door and sigh the guest book!!! And become a citizen through the established channels, and yes, pay their fair share of taxes also!

Jonathan Lambert

If the spending is to be cut, and it should, we can start with the highly overpaid politicians who caused this problem to begin with. Why do the politicians feel they deserve to live better than the constituency who elected them? Secondly, funding can be cut by requiring welfare recipients to work for what they get. Why can't they be used to clean up litter on the highway, cut and trim bushes and trees, build sidewalks and do many of the menial tasks that keep regular employees from completing other tasks. They would work around schools, jails, government buildings, bus stops, highways, etc.
Far to many politicians are trying to foster their political career by giving entitlements away at the expense of the average taxpayer. Many other things could be done and I am more than willing to talk to anyone about ways to cut deficit spending. Problem is talking won't solve the problem. We need politicians with courage to do what is required to make it all happen. Unfortunately the only ones we have get labeled as crazy or over the edge.

Steven Gordon

The last place the government should look at cuts are the benefits to our fellow vets that served our country honorable. Stop the aid to countries who want to destroy our great country. If you love your freedom thank a vet.

Gerald Petersen

1. Review all departments, agencies, and programs for duplications and when found, eliminate and consolidate.
2. Review all departments, agencies, and programs to determine whether or not they are serving a Constitutional purpose and eliminate those that are not.
3. Review all departments, agencies, and programs to determine whether or not they are doing only what is necessary and proper to execute their Constitutional powers.

This will take a lot of work on behalf of the members of Congress but this is what they should be doing anyway. If this is done, we might just have the confidence that the government is operating within its Constitutional bounds and we can budget appropriately.

Gary Bingaman

Duh, we have spent Trillions on two Wars where our young men and women have paid the price in lives lost and traumatic injuries for what end, Iraq is already reverting to the terrorists and the same thing will happen in Afghanistan the minute we depart. Additionally, we need to look at the aid we give to other Countries that just plain hate the United States like most Middle East Countries, makes no darn sense.

Anonymous

Richard Wallis

Before any more cuts, eliminate all the tax breaks, loop-holes and exemptions that most corporations and high-end taxpayers enjoy. When Warren Buffet pays taxes at a lower rate than his secretary something's wrong.

Old Namvet

Foreign aid would be a start. However, billions of dollars are being wasted on fraud in all government programs. Behind drugs, it's the second biggest scourge draining our money away. However, with so many profiting from it, no one wants to do anything about it. The government is now making all the working folks,those few who are left that is, pay for the non-workers health care, yet that same government is still subsidizing tobacco growers who are killing hundreds every year. Go figure!

Clay Cowgill

Terminate all of the Liar-in-Chief's "czars"; Downsize or eliminate totally the EPA, Dept of Education and return education back to the states where it belongs, Department of Energy which hasn't created one iota of energy but wastes money on so-called green energy schemes; cut back foreign aid; eliminate funding for all the hookey programs like PBS,grants for studying the sex life of the tse-tse fly, etc.

Navy wife

How about cutting Congress' salary? Why is it the ones who have the ability to make the cuts take none but have no problem cutting from those dependent on their decisions? Why is it that innocent gov't employees had to lose pay during the sequester but those who hadn't done their jobs in years continued to collect their pay? Let them work without pay until they fix the problem they caused and leave everyone else alone!

Mike M

I believe that cuts should be made across the board, and especially to Foreign Aid. We continue to assist countries across the world and get in most cases nothing back in return. We send out troops all over the world and now they want to take away our benefits and still give money to foreign countries that do nothing for us. Also the Congress should be the same as the military and come under the same rules that we had to by doing at least 20 years before getting the type of retirement that they get. They continue to get more as the military personnel that protect them and the other people who protect and teach our children get less. Wake Up America.

Brett N.

Seems like our government thinks that it is a great idea to whittle away at our benefits, so why not save some money by starting to take away some of their "Golden Parachute" benefits too!? They live the good life while in office and until death once they leave office. Think of all the money that could be saved if they had to subsist on Social Security as well as being forced like the rest of us into good old Obamacare for their medical needs. I'll bet they just might get a clue if they were treated as well as they treat the populous that vote them into office!

Ken Harrison

Stop with the fancy perks (free parking at airports, special parking areas,) follow the "what's good for the goose is good for the gander." You want me to use specific places for my medical...you use them as well, and you pay what I pay, including any and all pricing. Get paid for what you do rather that for what you claim to be. Want to get paid? Pass laws that help ALL of us, not just a select few. THEN you get paid, (on a sliding scale, the more special interests get, the less you get paid).

antiTyranny

Where to begin...
We can start by deleting the Department of Education. Then delete Homeland Security and transfer the few necessary functions elsewhere. Defund the NSA, stop all foreign aid, greatly modify Congressional pensions so no one can collect until the greater of out of office or age 65 and then only based on years served. I doubt we need a Department of Energy. We can eliminate the EPA. We can pull out of Afghanistan. How about repealing the ACA? That's only a couple things in a shotgun approach and will save a few trillion dollars. Not much, but a start.

Jim Mulder

Elemonate the hospitals that give free medical to Illegal aliens like Natividad Medical Center in California. There are hundreds of the free clinics paid for by the federal government. Stop paying for Anchor babies it cost $1200.00 every month until they are 18. This is bullshit.

Mike Chandler

SAD

Congress is the one who needs take the pay cut. The amount of waste, fraud , and abuse that is committed each day is a justifiable reason to cut their entitlements and pay. They are a embarrassment to the people they serve. Vote them out.

Robb French

Cut foreign aid to the ose governments that support terrorist or are otherwise unfriendly towards us, do away with over-the-top lifetime pensions for politicians, especially for those who only serve one term(their pension should be the same as a service member, NOT more!). Delete PBS, in fact ALL of Health & Human Services, delete the BATFE except for the forensic section which should be part of the FBI anyway. Delete the Education Department. All employees who lose their jobs to get 6 months unemployment benefits then have to get a REAL job.

America First

Cut the spending in 3 places first,
1. Welfare to working age participants: Such as Obama Phones, housing, Food Stamps, Welfare Checks.
2. Waste, Fraud, Abuse, and Dysfunctional Entitlement and Departments Programs in the Government need to be seriously attacked of W,F,A,D and streamlined and efficiently run.
3. Politician Pay and Benefits need to be cut and based on strict performance and based on how the government policies enacted improve America for the American People and our future.

NOTE: Notice you didn't see Politicians putting their own pay and retirement on the chopping block. Further I am sick and tired of hearing politicians say "Oh we aren't even looking at that because it is such a small portion of the budget". That's how they justify ignoring government waste and I am sure how they would justify ignoring their own pay and benefits. I DO NOT WANT TO EVEN DISCUSS cuts in my own hard earned benefits till they cut the waste, fraud, and. abuse. There's a lot more there then politicians want to admit. After I KNOW they are going to take the spending of my money seriously, then I would be more than glad to take needed cuts that are fair and doesn't attack one group unfairly, like America's Military Retired veteran's.

William In Wisconsin

I contacted Congressman Paul Ryan's office about his position on this matter. I also contacted my local Republican Party office and asked them to contact him and ask that he lay off of the matter. Their response was to set up a $40.00 per invitation meeting at the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha, WI so Paul Ryan could come and speak to the constituency about things, generally I presume.

I offered an alternative, that politicians cut benefits to single women having children out of wedlock. In 2011 41 percent of children born in The US were born to single mothers, nearly half. HALF! Why? Because the mothers can earn $47,000 in benefits annually. No wonder so many children are born to single mothers. It pays better than most jobs women can get out of college. But it's also very expensive for the taxpayer.

Politicians won't touch that issue because all of those single mothers are sitting at home in front of the TV and it's TV's big daytime market. The media would lambast any politician who gets near that market. But it's still not right. We need politicians who aren't worried about getting re-elected. One term and that's it, to handle many issues in this country. Otherwise, things will just get worse.

Instead, weak politicians know they can attack military benefits even though it is unethical.

I would run that by Congressman Ryan again at the event. But it's $40 to attend the event.

Floyd from California

Eliminate corporate welfare, put the LOW capital gain taxes (which the wealthy mainly benefit from) back to a more robust rate, cut military hardware expenditures, eliminate the income
cap on the payroll tax and RAISE TAXES ON THE UBER RICH!!!! (and of course cut the WASTE!)

Bob from Canaan

How about taking a look at the billions of dollars that is being expended on this futuristic trip to Mars. NASA is already spending
monies on the proposed astronaut diets to the tune of millions of
dollars. And just what is that 4 wheeler up there amounting to and
what is the dollar amount to keep it up and running daily. Too much
of this crap slips through the cracks, time for a reckoning!!!

Ed. Orr

Cut their own pay by 75%, they are all millionaires anyway. When they have to live in D.C. on reduced pay, they will decide not to run for re-election and some at least return home. Those that stay in D.C. should be prohibited from becoming a lobbyist for 5 years.

BB from OKC

Cut ALL foreign aid, get out of the UN and get the UN out of the USA. Cut off and deport ALL illegal aliens and seal the border. Stop all congressional retirement pay, it was not supposed to be a career, serve your term and go home. Why can someone legally spend hundreds of millions of dollars to get a job that only pays a couple hundred thousand a year? Consolidate gov. agencies, there are too many overlapping, redundant agencies. Get the Government out of our lives.

Wayne Higbee

It is a good thing that the people of this country have no say in the matter of granting the fat cats in congress and the senate pay raises, it wouldnt be such a gravy job where they cut each others throats at election time and lie to the voters on where their interests lie. Where would they be if the young men and women did not fight and sacrifice for this country, to keep it free. Shame shame on those who would cut the meager pension of a retired warrior who served honorably for all people in this country including the people who get rich in office.

Ricardo USMCRET VN VET

I think the cuts that are need show come from the Congressmen that haven't done much except take from the VETS that need the most. I think there should be a 4 year term and bring in some new blood that will work for the rights we VETS have fought for. The things that our government is doing to our VETs is criminal. We paid our dues, how many of them can say they served in combat and are having to fight for their rights.

ProudUSAVet

The money we have paid into Social Security should not be touched. We worked for many years in order to have it to fall back on. Also, the original SocSec law stated that we would not be taxed on the money we drew and yet we are being taxed.

I know of people who have come to this country from Mexico and other Latin American countries who have not worked one day in the US? Have you seen pictures of the mansions in which the leaders of some African countries live that are paid for with foreign aid? Cut the bureaucracy - it has grown every year Obama has been in office. Put a time limit on how long a person can draw government benefits, including housing. We have formed a new class/society of people who are depended on govt. bennies and have no intention to get an education or find a job. May these people prove they are looking for work in order to qualify for assistance and make absentee fathers pay child support.

Rick Bennison

We have to borrow money to keep the government running. Let's cancel
Foreign Aid to nations who only take the money and turn their backs on us. Close embassys in countries that obviously don't want us there. Quit wasting money at the congressional level on "PORK" projects that only divert money from being used wisely to specific congressmens/womens districts. Freeze congressional pay at current level; if they don't like it, show each one who whines the door, tell them to move thru quickly so it doesn't hit them in the a$$, and let them all seek a new, real job. Freeze all use of Air Force One to "Official Business Only"; don't allow Ovomit to take his children along as "Staff Members"; I think that is called fraud. Mrs. Obama was overheard by a reporters camera at one of the inaugurations "All this for a damn flag; she's a real patriot? I'm sick of all the waste,fraud and abuse in Washington and have almost no respect left for any of our lawmakers, the Supreme Court, and all the Yes Men mentality within the current cabinet.

Thomas Sterling

If we just change the IRS loop holes for both corporations and the top three percent of earnings over five million the spending issues in government will disappear. This will last until the next republican congress gets in control, which pasted these laws in the first place!

Cpl. Pierson, S.A.R. & Vietnam CombatVet

Cut the pay of Congress, the Senate.... Public Servants ya know and the low end of the ladder, federal employee's and such, give them a raise.. Retired Veterans too and especially the wounded. Stop trying to kill us off with mind numbing drugs and let them try some.. Stop buying countries... The Pentagon budget is too fat... And while I'm on the subject of fat, cut the pork barrel spending.. Fair tax rates to all, no loop holes... A flat tax of 8% or 10%... Right off the top.. You make 100,000, 10% No property tax for the elderly or any taxes.. Level the playing field so a man can feed his family.. We pay a base ball pitcher over 10,000 a throw, for a game we played as kids for fun, yes our tax dollars go for that too... And stop taking tax dollars for giant coliseums.. Grandiose spending has to stop... Term limits for all... We need to take care of our own and stop wasting it on trying to kill every one off... Nature will do that... Or we will do it to ourselves... Either way.. Just be fair.. That's all.. Find common sense, it's lost... Accountability is a must, or no one learns a thing.... Gates had the guts to fire those who wasted.. We do too.. My ancestor didn't fight and die for what we have become.. Let their sacrifice and ours, be not in vain.. K.I.S.S. "Balls of the Eagle Sir!"

SgtRW

Peter Cluck

Cut the pay, perks and entitlements of the Congressmen and Senators and their staffers. Make them use the AFA for their insurance benefits. Cut them off at the trough. Give them some incentive to make things right. Limit the terms of these elitists.
Make it a requirement to be a Veteran in order to be elected to Congress.

DAVID J PORCHER

I beleive foreign aid should be cut. I do not like your fourth selection. I have paid into Social Security and Medicare my whole working life. I am 65 years old. My employer paid in to Social Security. YOU CALL THIS ENTITLEMENT SPENDING LIKE IT IS A GIVE AWAY. I and every other American who has paid into it should get it, we paid for it.

Michael Batcher

TopJimi

I believe the congress and senate should take a large pay cut and stop the medical and retirement benefits they currently receive. If they are not ashamed of their work, why don't they publish their earnings and benefits including all the perks they get for the favors they do for the private side and their support staff and perks? I have always wondered what part of our budget for the nation is the pay and benefits costing our great country, to include the retirements being paid. Also I believe the foreign aid can be cut dramatically as well as put some requirements on the government aid that would eliminate the aid over a specified time period.

Chaz

Cut their salaries and those working in government which would be big bucks. Cut some of the foreign aid. Make the postal service more competitive would save. We have far to many entitlements. The entitlements just keep getting fatter and fatter. People need food, roof over the head and clothing some of the programs are out of line...

ravicia

they can't sell the USPS, already done that, decrease foreign aid by a bunch especially to those countries that are questionable as far as supporting terrorists, reduce the "pension" of congress and senate,reduce their pay, for as far as I have seen, none are supporting the people who elected them.

CWO#3

H.S.

I think there are lots of cuts that can be made. Many good ones listed above. I also think we need to have our jobs back. I believe that if an american takes his company to another country for cheap labor he should not be aloud to import his product back here. The more people working, the more taxes being paid in. Tax and spend with fairness to everyone. Above everything else, our country and republic as a whole should come first when spending is decided. This new world order dose't seem to be working well here. Buying votes with handouts don't appear to work well either. Everyone needs to pay their fair share and government needs to manage wisely. Any promise made to a vet should never be broken. If you don't make a promise you don't have to break it later. Tell the thruth the first time, then people can decide to serve or not.

Jerry C.

I can't believe this poll would not include farm subsidy's, big oil giveaways. Wall street banks free money and other tax free monies. Then want working people to give up hard earned retirement and SS they worked all their lives for.

Old Sarge

Cut some of the 85 acquisition/weapon system projects in the works that cost trillions and are not needed and will never be used on the battlefield. Remember the V-22 that the Pentagon did not want but the Congress wanted the pork continuing. The USAF has suggested eliminating the A-10 because it has another aircraft that can fulfill that role but is meeting resistance from congress on that one. Congress could have set the example by cutting their own pay/benefits/COLA, ha!ha! never see that. Paul Ryan is an embarrassment to the repubs. for slapping vets in the face the way he did and should be voted out! Thank you Hugh Hewitt for taking Ryan to task for what he did!

NAMVET IN CAROLINA

Cut congress& the senate pay medcal benifits. Reduce foreign aid & spending, If they create jobs they would not cut any programs.Put the people to work. If the politican stop blocking the program that has been created, no cuts would be needed.

atcogeo

Put senate & congress on medicare & social security instead of their gravy plan.
This should cut costs and maybe then they will get the system straightened out.
I think it is time they get in touch with reality and live like the rest of us !

Old Man from the Hills

After reading the comments already posted: I need to run my mouth again! Are we not getting the goverment we deserve?? Since the early sixties the welfare state has grown to encompass 41% of our population; most well-paid jobs have moved "off-shore" ( with a resulting growth of the welfare state/loss of tax reveneue/major growth in profit for the Uber Rich/ and in the end a major up-swing with of tax-payer monies to pay for illegal's as well as welfare) I really believe this whole mess we are in has been engieenered(?) to have this nation fail. I was never a big believer in the "One Wold Goverment" thing, now I'm not so sure. I served in Viet Nam/ Gulf I and now I'm left to wonder for what point?? Everything we hold dear in our lives is going away/ one paycheck just won't cut it in the real world/ Lord help you if you weren't able to put something away for retirement/ How does the middle-class( very little of it left) make a living anymore?? How can we continue to support people who have never had a job and have no intention of ever holding one? If someone really can't work/ don't have a problem helping them. If it's a case of not enough jobs to go around/ that's something we can do something about. How about raising taxes on good's brought back from "Off-Shore" factories. At least just us an even playing field/ I've no doubt we can produce the same or better quality products as we are buying from China! Make the "To Big to Fail" company's actually feel the pain of losing billions of dollars on very stupid investments just like the small investor does? (different scale/but you get the idea) Both sides just handed out billions to Wall St. with no real accountability for it/ just plain handed it to the same jack-asses that lost it!! How could any politician be that stupid?? It just goes on and on. Sometimes it just makes me want to cry at how screwed up our "Leaders" really are! I just don't see how it's ever going to get any better unless we as a people force the changes . Now, I'll shut up/ This to hard on my BP!!!

VMAX Lives

Look, you can all do something to shape things up!!! If the party you belong to is not doing what you want them to be doing then leave the party!!! Write your congressman/woman! Tell them what you want. Use the time your spend crying here! Write your senators using the time you spent here whining! At least you would be using your time constructively...I have written my state congressmen/women, and senators so much they don't even respond to me any more. When they did that, I withdrew from the democraptic party...OFFICALLY. Now I'm an independent and can vote for anyone I want and get information on all people running for office. I use that information to pass on to family and friends so they know who to vote for too.. Get it?? I now know what politicians are pushing amnesty, who is blindly supporting oBAMMER because their in the same political party. If oBAMMER breaks the law and another lawyer I voted for office then then I think that person is just as big a crook. These people HAVE TO support the constitution or I want their ass out of office. Do any of you think that is stupid?????

STOP VOTING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SUPPORTING ISSUES YOU WANT PASSED. STOP VOTING FOR POLITITIONS WHO ARE SPENDING MONEY ON THINGS YOU DONT WANT OUR GOVERNMENT SPENDING MONEY ON!!!Just because your state senator has been in office for a long time, it doesn't mean he is supporting things you think are right!!

Wayne Higbee

I have one more thing to ask, how many of you vets and none vets out there personally know some BRAIN DEAD who refuses to vote, will constantly whine and bitch about the "crooked government"? I know a few as Im sure you all know one or two, I think things would change in a hurry if the folks in DC (all of them) had some concern for their jobs at election time, but the way it is now they are happy that there is so many of their favorite people in this country, the ones that for some reason will not vote. I guess we all served in the military to protect the rights of all the people even the CRYBABYS who will not vote.

GSCM tired & retired

Generate cuts across the board for anything that isn't directly related to direct operation of the government, mandate single purpose bills and eliminate riders to bills that don't directly pertain to the bill, i.e. if a bill is dealing with a social security issue that is sure to pass, don't allow some smuck to add a weapons system (that the military doesn't want or need) just because it will make him look good to his constituents, cut ALL government staff by 50% (minimum)eliminate useless agencies like EPA, FEMA, etc. mandate welfare to work programs. And so many more things that the Fed "does for us" that could very easily be handled by the state or are unnecessary to begin with.

David L Dean

We obviously need a stronger EPA, not eliminate it. West Virginia's environmental agency allowed toxic chemicals to be stored and leaked less than a mile upstram from their public water supply. The tanks hadn't been inspected in over twenty years, the company has filed for bankruptsy and U.S. taxpayers will now have to pay for the cleanup.

Bill Vogt

Retiree USAF

I see no reason to continue giving money to those countries who actually hate us. This makes no sense. I'm tired of seeing America as the police force for the world. Let 'em kill each other. Additionally, I just saw the most arrogant person on the news the other day complaining that her 99 weeks of unemployment ran out. Now, she says, she'll need to find a job she doesn't want. How ridiculous is that. I'm tired of people complaining about the fact they can't find a job, but will do nothing to re-train themselves for a job. You can't tell me she didn't sit around and do nothing for 99 weeks. I also want to comment on the most recent situation about a USAF Colonel living in his van and not being able to live a normal life on his retirement pay. You see, this is what happens when you have force drawdowns and the good officers are told their services are no longer needed and the brown nosers keep getting promoted because now there's a shortage of officers. Another way to cut back is to start telling life-long welfare recipients that the well has gone dry and they need to be good Americans and get a job--any job.

David Dittemore

We need to reduce military spending. Close a majority of overseas bases. The proposed cuts are coming out of the Ryan (Republican) budget - so they can have more tax cuts for the rich. How about publicizing that!!

David L Dean

Another typically right-wing and slanted question from our Legion officers. To paraphrase; "who should we let the GOP screw instead of us?" Deficit issues should be addressed with BOTH revenue increases and expense cuts. Military spending is half of the US budget and more than the next ten nations combined. Cut the F35, overseas military bases (that protect countries that can afford their own defense), and close tax loopholes for billionaires and corporations. Raise the minimum wage and 25% of those on welfare will move up, the economy will improve and so will tax revenue.

Frank L. Noren

Cut Congressional benefits first!!! Put their health care on a par with our own. Deny retirement pensions and benefits to members in office less than 20 years, like military veterans. When their benefits become proportionately comparable to ours, then we can talk about reasonable across the board cuts, not before. In no case should they cut our benefits before they cut their own benefits.